Stacking device



Oct. 3, 1967 E. vANDENBERG STACKING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May13, 1966 FIG. 6

FIG. 7

FIG.

I INVENTOR EDWAR VANDENBERG .BYVa/w Anornevs Oct. 3, 1957 E. VANDENBERG3,345,064

STACKING DEVICE Filed May 13, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent3,345,064 STACKING DEVICE Edward Vandenberg, 426 Findlay St.,Cincinnati, Ohio. 45214 Filed May 13, 1966, Ser. No. 549,874 6 Claims.(Cl. 27168) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A device for stacking fiatarticles in an upright stack which includes a first conveyor, a secondconveyor receiving articles from the first conveyor, and means forholding the stack on the second conveyor, the articles feeding upwardlyfrom the first conveyor to be received at the bottom of the stack.

This invention relates to devices for stacking articles in an uprightstack. More particularly, this invention relates to a stacking devicewhich can be connected to an automatic machine which produces relativelyflat, smooth articles for stacking such articles.

Pressure sensitive labels are manufactured in large quantities and areordinarily mounted individually or in groups on backing sheets. Anobject of this invention is to provide a stacking device in which suchmounted labels are delivered to the bottom of a stack and stacked onebelow another.

A further object of this invention is to provide such a stacking devicein which the labels are stacked on an upper course of a main belt whichcarries the articles to the pile.

A further object of this invention is to provide a stacking device ofthis type in which the articles are led to the main belt by a deliverybelt having an upper .course which runs below the upper course of thebelt on which the articles are stacked.

A further object of this invention is to provide such a device in whichthe belts are formed in sections and in which sections of the main beltand delivery belt alternate.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device of this type inwhich the articles running on the delivery belt are held in placethereon by idle rolls which guide the articles to the bottom of thestack.

The above and other objects and features of the invention will beapparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention pertainsfrom the following detailed description, and the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in side elevation of a label stacking deviceconstructed in accordance with an embodiment of this invention, afragmentary portion of a label forming machine being shown inassociation there;

FIG. 2 is .a plan view of the label stacking device shown in FIG. 1,portions of belt sections thereof being broken away to reveal interiorconstruction, a fragmentary portion of the label forming machine beingshown in section;

FIG. 3 is a view in side elevation of the device illustrated in FIG. 2,a fragmentary portion of the label forming machine being shown inassociation therewith;

FIG. 4 is another view in side elevation of the device illustrated inFIGS. 2 and 3, a gear housing being removed;

FIG. 5 is a view in end elevation of the device illustrated in FIGS. 2to 4, inclusive;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view insection taken on the line 66 in F162;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary view in section taken on the line 7-7 in FIG. 6;and

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary view in section taken on the line 88 in FIG. 5.

In FIG. 1 is shown a label stacking device 9 constructed in accordancewith an embodiment of this invention which includes a frame 10 mountedon a pedestal 12 having an upright portion 12a. The pedestal 12 can besup ported on a floor 1212. As shown, a pivotal connection 12c can beprovided in the upright portion 12a to permit controlled swinging of theframe 10. At opposite ends, the main frame 10 (FIGS. 1, 2 and 3) carriescross channel frames 13 and 14 (FIG. 3), which are rigidly attachedthereto. Lengthwise side frames 16 and 17 .are rigidly mounted on thecross frames 13 and 14. Rolls 18 and 19 are rotatably mounted in theside frames 16 and 17. A plurality of main belt sections 23 are mountedto run on the rollers 18 and 19. A pulley 24 mounted on the roll 18 isdriven by a belt 26 which, in turn, is driven by a motor 27 to drive themain belt sections 23. As shown in the drawings, the belt sections 23are separated by spaces 28. Guide pins 29 carried by a cross frame 31guide the main belt sections to maintain them in spaced relation.

Delivery belt sections 32 run in the spaces between the main beltsection 23. The delivery belt sections 32 run on rollers 33 and 34 whichare carried by journals 35 and 36 rotatably mounted in the side frames16 and 17. As shown in FIG. 6, the upper courses of the delivery beltsections 32 are substantially parallel to and spaced below the uppercourses of the main belt sections 23. The roller 19 and the journal 36carry gears 37 and 38, respectively (FIG. 4), which mesh with .an idlegear 39' so that the rollers 19 and 34 (FIG. 6) and the belts carriedthereon are driven in the same direction. The peripheral speed of theroller 19 on which the main belt sections 23 are mounted can be somewhatgreater than the peripheral speed of the roller 34 so that the main beltsections advance faster than the delivery belt sections. Spacer pins 41carried by a cross plate 42 guide the delivery belt sections. Inaddition, as shown in FIG. 8, the roller 19 is provided with a pluralityof annular slots 42a through which the delivery belt sections 32 pass.Above the delivery belt sections are mounted idle rolls 43, 44, 46, 47,and 48 (FIG. 5) which are rotatably mounted on shafts 49, 51, 52, 53,and 54, respectively. The shafts 49, 51, 52, 53, and 54 link roll frames56 and 57 (FIG. 2). The frames 56 and 57 are mounted on the side frames17 and 16, respectively. Pins 58, mounted in the side frames 16 and 17,extend into sockets 61 in the roll frames 57 and 56 to align the rollframes and the side frames.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, label assemblies 62, each consisting of abacking sheet 63 and label members 64, are fed to the stacking devicefrom a label printing and cutting machine 66 above the upper courses ofthe delivery belt sections and below the idle roll 43. The labelassemblies pass under the idle rolls 44, 46, 47, and 48. When the labelassemblies reach the main belt sections, the label assemblies areadvanced upwardly around the main belt sections and the roll 19 andunder label assemblies 62a (FIG. 6) stacked on the upper courses of themain belt sections 23.

The stack of label assemblies is formed by a stop assembly 68. The stopassembly 68 includes a main or angle frame 69 of angle shape which ismounted on the side frame 16, as shown in FIG. 7. A guide strip 71 ismounted below a main flange 72 of the main frame 69 in spaced relationthereto. Fasteners 72a attach the strip 71 to the flange 72. An end edge73 of the guide strip 71 engages Patented Oct. 3, 1967 tions 23 run overand are supported by the guide strip 71 to prevent sagging thereof wherethe label assemblies are collected thereon. An angle shaped guide frame76a (FIGS. 6 and 8) is mounted on the main flange 72 of the stop.assembly. The guide frame 76a has a plurality of downwardly extendingteeth 76b which extend between upper courses of the belt sections 23 sothat advance of label assemblies on the belt sections 23 is haltedthereby. An upright post 77 mounted on the guide frame 76a limitsadvance of the label assemblies as a stack thereof builds up. Adjustableside guides 78 .and 79 (FIG. 2) catch and guide the labels. As shown,the side guides are carried by horizontal rods 81 and 82 which in turnare carried by support blocks 83 and 84. The support blocks 83 and 84are carried by a cross rod 86 of hexagonal cross section. Ends of thecross rod 86 are mounted in brackets 87 and 88 mounted on opposite endsof the main flange 72 of the angle frame 69. Thumb screws 91 and 92mounted in the blocks 83 and 84 bear on the cross rod 86 to position theblocks and side guides. Set screws 92a and 92]) mounted in the supportblocks 83 and 84 lock the rods 81 and 82 in position. Access to the setscrews 92a and 92b is had through openings 920 in the brackets 87 and88.

As the label assemblies are advanced by the delivery belt sections, eachlabel assembly engages a switch actuator arm 94 (FIG. 6). The arm 94 ismounted on a microswitch 96 and, as the .arm 94 swings from the fullline position of FIG. 6 to the dot-dash line position 94a, the switch 96is actuated. The switch is connected to a suitable electronic countingdevice (not shown in detail) which counts the label assemblies asdelivered. The switch 96 is mounted on a rod 98 (FIG. 2) which, in turn,is mounted on the side frame 17.

The side frames 16 and 17 carry clamp members 101 and 102, respectively,which are carried by an extension of the rod 98 and a similar rod 103mounted in the side frame 16. The clamp members are of L shape and canengage edge portions of wall frames 106 and 108 of the label printingand cutting machine 66, details of construction of which are not shown.

A discharge guide 111 is mounted to swing between the full line positionof FIG. 3 and the dot-dash line position 111a. When in the normal, fullline position, label assemblies are fed to the stacking machine. Whenthe discharge guide is in the dot-dash line position, label assembliescan be diverted therefrom.

As shown in FIG. 6, the discharge guide is mounted on lever arms 112,only one of which is shown, which are mounted in a shaft 114. The shaft114 is rotatably supported between the cross frame 13 and an angle frame116. A screw 117 holds the shaft 114 in selected position.

Label assemblies are fed to the label stacking device by the labelprinting and cutting machine 66 (FIG. 3) and are received on the uppercourse of the delivery conveyor belt sections 32 under the rolls 43(FIG. 6). The label assemblies are advanced under the rolls 44, 46, and47 to the roll 48. As the leading edge of a label assembly is advancedupwardly around the belt sections 23 of the roller 19, the leading edgeis received under trailing edges of label assemblies already stacked onthe belt sections 23. The label assembly advances until stopped by theguide frame 760. It is stopped with a trailing edge portion overhangingthe roller 19. As the leading edge of a label assembly enters below thetrailing edges of assemblies already in the stack, the rest of the labelassembly is held down by the roller 48 and the idle rollers to the leftthereof, as shown in FIG. 6. The tightness with which the labelassemblies are held by the roll 48 can be adjusted with a belttightening assembly 116 The assembly 116' includes a cross bar 117'swingably mounted in the side frames 16 and 17. A plate 118 mounted onthe cross bar 117' is engageable with upper courses of the belt sections32. A head end 119 (FIG. 3) of a journal portion of the cross bar 117'is exposed and has a crossslot therein by means of which the cross bar117' and plate 118 can be swung to adjust tension on the belt sections32. As the assembly 116' is pivoted counterclockwise as shown in FIG. 6,the upper courses of the delivery belt sections 32 are raised.

The label stacking device illustrated in the drawings and describedabove is subject to structural modification without departing from thespirit ,and scope to the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is:

1. A device for stacking substantially fiat articles which comprises afirst continuous conveyor belt means, spaced rol-l means supporting saidfirst conveyor belt means, a second continuous conveyor belt means,spaced roll means supporting the second conveyor belt means, saidconveyor belt means having substantially parallel upper course, an uppercourse of the second conveyor belt means being elevated above an uppercourse of the first conveyor belt means, one of the roll means forsupporting the second conveyor belt means being intermediate the rollmeans supporting the first conveyor belt means, slot means beingprovided in said one of the roll means, the upper course of the firstconveyor belt means extending through said slot means, whereby the firstand second conveyor belt means overlap, stop means adjacent the secondconveyor belt means for arresting articles thereon in a stack with atrailing edge portion of each article overlying said one of the rollmeans and extending free of said belt means, means for holding articlesdown on the upper course of the first conveyor belt means as thearticles approach said one of the roll means, .and means for advancingthe conveyor belt means in a direction to move articles from the firstto the second conveyor belt means, a leading edge of each article on thefirst conveyor belt means being received under the trailing edge portionof the articles on the second conveyor belt means, the articles beingstacked on the second conveyor belt means.

2. A device as in claim 1 wherein the means for holding articles down onthe upper course of the first conveyor belt means includes a pluralityof idle rolls extending transversely of and above the upper course ofthe first conveyor belt means and each arranged to engage an articlesupported thereon.

3. A device as in claim 1 in which means is provided for raising andlowering the upper course of the first belt means with relation to themeans for holding down articles thereon.

4. A device for stacking substantially fiat articles which comprises afirst continuous conveyor belt means, spaced roll means supporting saidfirst conveyor belt means, a second continuous conveyor belt means,spaced roll means supporting the second conveyor belt means, the uppercourse of the second conveyor belt means being elevated above the uppercourse of the first conveyor belt means, one of the roll means forsupporting the second conveyor belt means being intermediate the rollmeans supporting the first conveyor belt means, slot means beingprovided in said one of the roll means, the upper course of the firstconveyor belt means extending through said slot means, whereby the firstand second conveyor belt means overlap, stop means adjacent the secondconveyor belt means for arresting articles thereon in a stack with atrailing edge portion of each .article overlying said one of the rollmeans and extending free of said belt means, and means for advancing theconveyor belt means in a direction to move articles from the first tothe second conveyor belt means, .a leading edge of each article on thefirst conveyor belt means being received under the trailing edge portionof articles on the second conveyor belt means, the articles beingstacked on the second conveyor belt means.

5. A device as in claim 4 wherein the second conveyor belt meansincludes a plurality of belt sections, in which the stop means includesa frame extending transversely of the belt sections of the secondconveyor belt means, and in which a plurality of teeth are provided onthe frame of the stop means extending between sections of the uppercourse of the second conveyor belt means, leading edges of the articlesengaging and being stopped by said teeth.

6. A device as in claim 5 wherein means is provided on the frame of thestop means underlying the sections of the upper course of the secondconveyor belt means to maintain same in position with the teethextending therebetween.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,868,384 7/1932 Greenwood 271-68X 6 2,414,059 1/ 1947 Powers 271-68 X 3,174,749 3/ 1965 Childs 27168FOREIGN PATENTS 589,283 12/ 1959 Canada.

EVON c. BLUNK, Primary Examiner.

EDWARD A. SROKA, Examiner.

1. A DEVICE FOR STACKING SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT ARTICLES WHICH COMPRISES AFIRST CONTINUOUS CONVEYOR BELT MEANS, SPACED ROLL MEANS SUPPORTING SAIDFIRST CONVEYOR BELT MEANS, A SECOND CONTINUOUS CONVEYOR BELT MEANS,SPACED ROLL MEANS SUPPORTING THE SECOND CONVEYOR BELT MEANS, SAIDCONVEYOR BELT MEANS HAVING SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL UPPER COURSE, AN UPPERCOURSE OF THE SECOND CONVEYOR BELT MEANS BEING ELEVATED ABOVE AN UPPERCOURSE OF THE FIRST CONVEYOR BELT MEANS, ONE OF THE ROLL MEANS FORSUPPORTING THE SECOND CONVEYOR BELT MEANS BEING INTERMEDIATE THE FOLLMEANS SUPPORTING THE FIRST CONVEYOR BELT MEANS, SLOT MEANS BEINGPROVIDED IN SAID ONE OF THE ROLL MEANS, THE UPPER COURSE OF THE FIRSTCONVEYOR BELT MEANS EXTENDING THROUGH SAID SLOT MEANS, WHEREBY THE FIRSTAND SECOND CONVEYOR BELT MEANS OVERLAP, STOP MEANS ADJACENT THE SECONDCONVEYOR BELT MEANS FOR ARRESTING ARTICLES THEREON IN A STACK WITH ATRAILING EDGE PORTION OF EACH ARTICLE OVERLYING SAID ONE OF THE ROLLMEANS AND EXTENDING FREE OF SAID BELT MEANS, MEANS FOR HOLDING ARTICLESDOWN ON THE UPPER COURSE OF THE FIRST CONVEYOR BELT MEANS AS THEARTICLES APPROACH SAID ONE OF THE ROLL MEANS, AND MEANS FOR ADVANCINGTHE CONVEYOR BELT MEANS IN A DIRECTION OF MOVE ARTICLES FROM THE FIRSTTO THE SECOND CONVEYOR BELT MEANS, A LEADING EDGE OF EACH ARTICLE ON THEFIRST CONVEYOR BELT MEANS BEING RECEIVED UNDER THE TRAILING EDGE PORTIONOF THE ARTICLES ON THE SECOND CONVEYOR BELT MEANS, THE ARTICLES BEINGSTACKED ON THE SECOND CONVEYOR BELT MEANS.